Did you know Pennsylvania is home to the largest buffet in the United States?

Matt Benedetto
·2 min read

(WHTM) – When people think big, they think of Texas, but one thing Texas doesn’t have is the largest buffet, which is in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Shady Maple Smorgasbord is located at 129 Toddy Drive, East Earl in Lancaster County, and is the largest buffet in the United States.

In 1962, under maple trees, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Martin sold produce along the road, this was the beginning of the Shady Maple Farm Market, according to Shady Maple.

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Eight years later, the first building would be opened and would include a grocery department.

The farm market would grow to 45,000 square feet in 1980 and included an in-store bakery and a small food lunch counter.

But two years later, the Shady Maple Cafeteria would open, this would be the start of what would later become the country’s largest buffet.

According to Shady Maple, the “all you can eat” concept started in 1985 when they opened the Shady Maple Smorgasbord.

The small produce stand by the road slowly grew into a giant. In 2000, a new building would be built and is around 100,000 square feet.

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This new Shady Maple building would include a top-level and bottom-level.

The top-level would be home to the buffet that seats around 1,200 people and according to The Philadelphia Inquirer, can feed around 7,000 people a day.

The bottom level has a gift shop and Fast Food Dutchette.

Shady Maple Smorgasbord is open at the following times (prices included):

  • Breakfast

    • Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

      • Monday through Friday: $12.99

      • Saturday: $14.99

  • Lunch

    • Monday through Friday from 10:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

      • $17.99

    • Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

      • $25.99

  • Dinner

    • Monday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

      • Monday Steak Night: $22.99

      • Tuesday Seafood Night: $28.99

      • Wednesday Prime Rib Night: $22.99

      • Thursday Wing/Rib Night: $21.99

      • Friday Grand Menu: $24.99

      • Saturday Grand Menu: $27.99

For more information about Shady Maple visit their website.

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